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OPINION

Letters: No reason to ask for GO bond

Las Cruces Sun-News
Published 6:32 p.m. MT July 17, 2018

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City Councilors Kasandra Gandara, left, Greg Smith, center, and Gabriel Vasquez, right, listen to Dan Parrott, during comment period for a resolution calling for safer schools during a city council meeting Monday June 18, 2018. The resolution mentions issues such as mental health, school building security and access to weapons. Many residents came out to support and oppose the resolution. Parrott said, while he supports making schools safer, is concerned the resolution would lead to the chipping away of the Second Amendment rights of lawful gun owners in Las Cruces,(Photo11: Josh Bachman/Sun-News)Buy Photo

No reason to ask for GO bond

The last budget meeting I attended at City Hall, the discussion was that there were 3/12ths in reserve balance. The state requires each city to hold 1/12th, and back in my days on Council we decided to hold 2/12ths. There is absolutely no reason for our city government to hold 3/12ths, which is a total of $21 million, and then ask the public to approve a GO bond in August for an additional $35 million.

How much of our taxpayer dollars is this governing body willing to hoard and then ask for more? This is insane. Those of us on a fixed income and homeowners will get the burden of providing the funding for walking, jogging and bike trails to the tune of $4.75 million when none of us will use them and what is already in place has an operation cost that will only increase with more upkeep. The $14.35 million for parks and sports-field improvements does not include an Olympic competition pool. Even with competitive sports, the income will never cover the operation cost, they never do.

I could support the $6.15 million for #3 Fire Station, but they already have the additional 1/12th that would pay for that. Do you know that this GO bond will never end, how fair is that to the future residents of our city?

Let’s get real about what this city needs, which to mention just a few is the Crisis Triage Center to help struggling citizens, or how about new economic-based jobs that will help our young families improve their quality of life? What about a better salary for our police and fire employees that are protecting us on shoestring budgets? I am one vote, and every vote counts; please join me in casting your ballot with a resounding “no.”

Dolores Connor

Former City Council member

A toxic sociological swill

Respect? A teen robs a convenience store of $200 and a bankster swindles $200 billion from retirement funds. Guess who causes the most homelessness and poverty. Guess who goes to jail? Guess who gets no respect?

Respect? Our State Department provokes crime waves in foreign countries to overthrow elected governments or our Defense Department blows them up. Why? To force them to allow our corporations to steal their lands and drive their people out of their homes, farms and other employment. Homelessness and poverty cause migration, which we declare to be illegal. Respect?

Pseudo respect seasoned with hypocrisy produces a toxic sociological swill that kills civility. Don't expect people with self respect and civility to have a bowl of swill. They won't.

Charles Clements

Las Cruces

Proud to fly flag on July 4

Where are all the Americans. I drive around the 4th of July and my house is the only house in the neighborhood flying a flag. As i drive around i see very few flags.. I am proud to be a veteran and proud to be an American and I show it by flying my flag on the 4th of July. God Bless America